James McClean - The Walls
Wrexham supporters have fresh interest in James McClean’s upcoming memoir, The Walls, after a new synopsis positioned the club as the final stop in his long English football career before his return to Derry City.
The former Wrexham captain is set to release the book on October 22, with the memoir covering his upbringing in Creggan, his Republic of Ireland career and the scrutiny that followed him during 15 years in English football.
For Wrexham fans, the most relevant detail is simple. The synopsis traces McClean’s path through Sunderland, Wigan Athletic, West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City before ending with his spell at Wrexham.
Wrexham sits at the end of McClean’s English journey
McClean has announced The Walls, which will tell his story from childhood in Derry through to his football career and public controversies.
The book synopsis describes it as the βraw untold storyβ of a footballer from Creggan who defied the odds to reach the top level of the game.
That gives the memoir a wider scope than a standard football autobiography. It also makes Wrexham an important late chapter in the story.
McClean joined Wrexham from Wigan Athletic in August 2023.
Daniel McDonnell’s update points to real detail
The book has been written with Irish football journalist Daniel McDonnell, who has made clear that McClean has been open during the process.
Writing on X, McDonnell said he had been working with McClean on the memoir and that the project was in the final stage.
βAll you want for a project like this is a subject that is prepared to be open & give proper access & James has certainly delivered on that.β
That matters because McClean’s Wrexham spell was not a quiet closing act.
He arrived with experience, edge and strong standards at a club still building momentum.
Why the Wrexham chapter matters
McClean made 108 competitive appearances and scored eight goals for Wrexham before leaving for Derry City in January 2026.
He helped the club secure back-to-back promotions and captained the side during a period that took Wrexham from League Two to the Championship.
That alone makes his perspective valuable for supporters who followed every step of the rise under Phil Parkinson.
The synopsis also says the book is aimed at readers who want McClean’s own account of a career that included a century of Republic of Ireland caps and a return to his hometown club.
The book goes beyond football
The Walls will also cover McClean’s upbringing in Creggan, his decision to represent the Republic of Ireland and his refusal to wear the Remembrance poppy.
The synopsis says the book will examine football, identity and Northern Ireland’s history, as well as the abuse and threats McClean received across his career.
That broader context is important. It suggests Wrexham supporters will not just be reading about a former captain, but about the life and pressures that shaped him before he ever arrived in North Wales.
McClean has already said the book starts in Derry, where his football obsession began.
βIt tells my story beginning in Derry, my childhood home, the βcheeviesβ and riots and where my obsessions with football began.β
Wrexham fans have reason to take notice
McClean’s time at Wrexham was short compared to the full length of his career. It was still significant.
He arrived as a senior figure and left after helping the club reach a level it had spent years trying to reclaim.
For that reason, The Walls should interest Wrexham supporters. It may not be a Wrexham book, but it is set to include a Wrexham chapter in a career that was rarely ordinary.
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